Dust conveying



March 7, 195oy R. MaCLEOD l 2,499,766

` DUST CONVEYING Filed Nov. 50, 194'8 IN VEN TOR. esler )i //acleml BYA uw au 5f/5a,

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 7, 95

UNITED lS'I'fl'l'z'rS PATENT OFFICE DUST CONVEYING Lester R. .MacLeod, Dumont, N. J. Application No niber so, 194s, seriaiNo. 62,668

v6 claims. (C1. a02- 27) rI`his invention relates to dust conveying, and is especially directed to the provision of improved apparatus for conveying dry dust from a series of dust collecting chambers to a Vsingle delivery lpoint which may be either nearby to the collecting chambers or distant therefrom. The Aapparatus of the invention makes use of a series of dust blowing tanks, each of which receives dust from one of the collecting chambers, and the'dust received in any one tank is transferred to the delivery point by passing it serially through the succeeding tanks in the series.

The apparatus of the invention may be used with advantage in conveying dry metallurgical dust from the collecting chambers of a bag house installation, or from the collecting chambers of an electrostatic dust precipitation installation, either (l) directly to bins for storage or for feeding dust-treating or dust-packaging apparatus, or (2) to a central delivery point 'from `which lit may subsequently be transferred to vsuch bins. Heretofore, when dust has been collected in a series of neighboring collecting chambers, the practice has been to use screw conveyors or simi'n lar mechanical conveyors to ycarry the dust from the collecting chambers to a nearby delivery point, from which it has then been 'transported to the storage or other bins. Such conveyors cannot be built economically for carrying dust any very great distance; hence the need for a nearby delivery point. Metallurgical dusts', more-'- over, are very abrasive and cause rapid -Wear 'of the bearings and other closely ttedpa'rts of-such conveyors. The pneumatic arrangement of the invention eliminates such Wear and so `reduces greatly the cost of maintenance and repair on the conveying apparatus.

Dust conveying apparatus in accordance with the invention, by Which dust is conveyed from a series of dust collecting chambers to a single delivery point, comprises a series of dust blowing tanks (i. e. tanks from which a load of ldust may be discharged by compressed air) each of which is connected by a dust-charging conduit to Vone of the series of dust collecting chambers. The charging conduits are provided with valves vso that dust may be passed intermittently, as desired, from the chambers to the tanks. vFlach tank (except the last in the series) is connected-to the next in the series by a dust transfer pipe which communicates with the finterior near Vthe bottom of the tank earlier in the series and with the interior near the top-of the tank later in the series. A valved dust offtake conduit connects the last tank in the series, at a point near its bottom, with the point of dust delivery. The upper interior of t-he nrst tank -in the series is connected to a source or compressed vair by a valved air pipe. With this arrangement, whenl the valves Ain the dustecharging conduits are closed and when the valves in the dust oftake conduit and in the air vpipe are opened, air under pressure flows from the compressed air source `to the interior of the vfirst tank -in the series and causes Vthe dust in each tank to now Athrough rthe dust transfer conduits and the ltanks vsubsequent in the series and thence vthrough the dust off-take conduit Ato the delivery point. n

Since in the new dust conveying apparatus the dust is handled pneumatically in tanks and pipes, and does not come in contact with closely liittint; movable conveyor parts, Wear and damage due lto dust abrasion Yis reduced to a minimum. Also of importance. is the fact that the connection of the yblovvin'g tanks in series 'greatly simpliiies the arrangement of the piping for handling the dust and the compressed air, and makes for very easy control of the dust conveying operation. Further, it permits handling different amounts of v dust `from the different collecting chambers `rwith much greater easev than if a separate pneumatic con#- veying system is employed for each collecting chamber.

The single `figure of the accompanying drawing shows diagrammatically a dust -conveying'insta-l# lation embodying the invention. In this installation a 'series of dust collecting chambers I (which may collect the dust from diiferent sections ofa bag house or of an electrostatic precipitator, or fromother apparatus) 'are provided .with hopper bottoms 2 ywhich are connected by charging con-i duits 3 to aiser'iesof dust yblowing tanks A. Each charging conduitis vprovided with a valve l5 for controlling the `ilovv (by gravity) of dust from the collecting chambers into the tanks. rllhe .tanks are completely enclosed, and when the valves 5 areclosed are lcapable of'holding' air at a pres'- sure of, say, k .pounds `per square inch.

Each tank ti, except the last inthe series, is connected to 'theznext in the series 4by a dust transfer pipe .6. One end f7 .of each dust transfer pipe opens to the Yinterior `near the bottom of vthe tank earlier inthe series,:and 4its lother end-opens into the interior of the next :tank in the series near its top.l A dust oitake lconduit ;8, one tend i9 of which opens to the interior `of the last ltanik in the series near its bottom, :connects this )last tank .with the fpointzto Whichldust :from ,the @tanks is .to be delivered. A valve l0 is provided inthe dust oitake pipe.

A source of compressed air (shown in the form of a receiver II which is kept iilled to some desired pressure by an air compressor) is connected by a main air pipe I2 to the interior of the rst tank in the series near its top. A main air valve I3 is provided to control the flow of air from the receiver through the main air pipe. A branch pipe I4 connects the air pipe I2 (or alternatively the receiver I I) with the dust offtake pipe 8 at a point between the dust otake valve I9 and the last tank in the series. A control valve I5 in this branch pipe, and a control valve I6 in the main air pipe, are provided so that the flow of air from the receiver may be directed either through the main air pipe I2 to the iirst tank in the series, or through the branch pipe and the dust oitake pipe to the last tank in the series.

In order to vent compressed air from the blowing tank system, the main air supply pipe is connected through a vent valve I1 in a vent pipe I8 to a vent header I9. The header is connected through a series of branch pipes 20 to the interiors of the dust collecting chambers I. Valves 2| in these branch pipes are provided to shut oi the header I9 from any collecting chamber that may be temporarily out of service. The pressure within the collecting chambers I is normally slightly below atmospheric, and the above-described vent system prevents loss of any dust that may escape through the vent valve l1. Instead of connecting the branch pipes 20 directly to the dust collecting chambers I, they may be connected to whatever other part of the dust collecting system is most convenient.

Operation of the apparatus is as follows: Dust that collects in the collecting chambers I is passed by gravity flow through the dust-charging conduits 3 into the blowing tanks 4, the valves 5 being opened for this purpose. The vent valve I1 may also be opened during this operation to permit escape of air displaced from the blowing tanks by the incoming charge of dust, and to insure that the pressure in the blowing tanks is substantially the same as in the collecting chambers. As a sufficient charge of dust is accumulated in each tank, the corresponding charge valve 5 is closed, and when all of these tanks are illled to the desired extent and all of the valves 5 are closed, the system is ready for conveying dust to the point of delivery.

To facilitate pneumatic transfer ofthe dust from tank to tank and through the offtake conduit, it is often best to iirst fluidize the dust xi. e. to render it easily mobile in the manner of a fluid). This is accomplished by leaving the bent valve I1 open, opening the control valve I5 in the branch pipe I4, closing the dust offtake valve I0 and the control valve I6 in the main air pipe, and then opening the main air valve I3. Thereupon compressed air flows through the dust oiftake pipe 8 and up through the dust accumulated in the last blowing tank in the series. Then the air passes through the dust transfer pipe and up through the dust is the next-to-last tank in the series; and so it iiows ultimately to and through the dust in the rst tank in the series and finally out through the vent valve I1. The upward flow of the compressed air through the dust in each tank accomplishes the desired uidizing. Since the vent pipe is connected to the dust collecting chambers (or to some other part of the dust collecting apparatus), any dust that escapes through the Vent valve during the uidizing operation is not lost from the system'.

It is not always necessary to have the vent valve opened during the uidizing operation. Even with the vent valve closed air will flow into each blowing tank upwardly through the dust therein until the pressure in each tank equals the pressure in the compressed air source, and in many cases the amount of air admitted under such conditions adequately luidizes the dust. For that matter, it is not always necessary to cause any flow of air up through the dust in the blowing tanks 4 to uidize it preparatory to forcing it out through the offtake conduit. The physical characteristics of the particular dust being handled determines whether in any given case preliminary fluidizing is necessary, or is merely advantageous without being necessary, or is of no substantial value.

Next, to convey the dust to the point of delivery, the vent valve I1 and the control valve I5 in the branch pipe I4 are closed, and the dust oitake valve I0 and the control valve I5 in the main air pipe are opened. As a result the direc tion of the iiow of compressed air is reversed, so that it passes directly from the receiver II into the upper interior of the rst tank in the series through the main air pipe I2. The eiect of the compressed air when thus admitted above the charge of dust in this rst tank is to force the dust, with some air, to ow through the dust transfer pipe into the second tank in the series. The iiow of dust and air into the second tank acts on the charge of dust therein to cause it to flow through the next dust transfer pipe into the third tank in the series. In this manner the dust ilows serially from each tank through the Subsequent tanks in the series and nally through the dust oitake pipe to the point of delivery. When all (or any desired portion) of the dust has thus been discharged from the series of tanks, the main air valve I3 is closed and the Vent valve I'I is opened. The tanks are then ready to receive new charges of dust through the dust-charging conduits upon opening the valves 5.

A particular advantage of the invention is that the series arrangement of the tanks enables the entire group of tanks to be completely discharged at any desired time without regard to the extent to which any one tank is lled, and with a minimum of manipulative steps. Consequently the new conveying arrangement is well adapted to automatic operation by a control system that is set in action whenever any one tank is filled to capacity, or that is set in action with each elapse of a predetermined time interval, or that is otherwise set in action. Since the new apparatus involves no moving parts that come in contact with the dust being conveyed, maintenance and repair costs are kept at a minimum, and the life of the apparatus is much longer than is that of such mechanical dust-handling equipment as screw conveyors.

Particular reference is made above and in the claims below to the use of compressed air as the medium in which the dust is carried. Compressed air is in fact preferred in cases where it can be used because it is readily available and is inexpensive, but conditions may sometimes prevail when another gas is more satisyfactory than air. For example, if the dust being conveyed is combustible or subject to damage by oxidation, then in place of air an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide is advantageously used. There may also be cases when the use of a reducing gas such as hydrogen or carbon monoxide is desirable. Dry steam may be used when it is advantageous to keep the dust hot. In `*view of these possible substitutions, references herein to the use of air are to be con strued as admitting of the use of some other gas in its place. The mode of operation of the new dust conveying apparatus is not affected by using some other gas than air.

I claim: t

l. Apparatus for conveying dust from a series of dust collecting chambers to a single delivery point comprising a series ofdust .blowing tanks each of which is connected to one of such chambers by a valved conduit through which dust may be passed intermittently from the chamber to the tank, a dust transfer pipe communicating at one end with the interior of each tank (except the last in the series) at a point near its bottom and connected at its other end to the next tank in the series near the top thereof, a valved dust offtake conduit connecting the interior of the last tank in the series at a point near its bottom with said single delivery point, a source of air under pressure, and a valved air pipe connecting said source with the upper interior of the first tank in the series, whereby, when the valves in the conduits connecting the tanks with the chambers are closed and the valves in the air pipe and dust offtake conduit are opened, air ilowing from the source to the interior of the i'lrst tank causes the dust in each tank to flow serially through the dust transfer conduits and the tanks subsequent in the series and through the dust offtake conduit to the delivery point.

2. In apparatus for conveying dust from a series of dust collecting chambers to a single dust delivery point, a series of dust blowing tanks, each tank being connected with one of said chambers, whereby it may intermitently receive dust from the chamber with which it is connected, a dust transfer pipe connecting each tank (except the last in the series) to the next in the series, each dust transfer pipe extending from the interior near the bottom of the tank earlier in the series to the interior near the top of the tank later in the series, a dust oitake conduit connecting the interior of the last tank in the series near its bottom with said single dust delivery point, a source of compressed air, and an air pipe connecting said source with the upper interior of the first tank in the series, whereby compressed air entering the first tank in the series through said air pipe causes the dust in each tank to flow serially through the succeeding tanks in the series and through the dust oitake pipe to the dust delivery point.

3. In dust conveying apparatus of the character described, a plurality of dust blowing tanks, a valved dust charging conduit connected to each tank and through which each tank may receive independently a charge of dust, said tanks being connected in series by a iplurality of dust transfer conduits each of which connects the interior of one tank near its bottom with the interior of the next tank in the series near its top, a dust offtake conduit connecting the interior of the last tank in the series near its bottom with a point of dust delivery, a source of compressed air, and a valved air pipe connecting said source with the interior of the rst tank in the series near its top, whereby, when the valves in the dust-charging conduits are closed and the valve in the air pipe is opened, compressed air from the source causes the dust in each tank to flow serially through the dust transfer conduits and tanks following it in the series and through the `dust oftake conduit to the dust delivervxioint.

4. In dust conveying apparatus ,of thechar- -acter described, a plurality of dust blowing tanks, a valved dust-charging conduit connected to each tank and through which each tank may receive independently a charge vof dust, said tanks being connected in series by a plurality of dust transfer conduits each of which connects the interior of one tank near its bottom with the interior of the next tank in the series near its top, a valved dust oitake conduit :connecting the interior of the last tank in the series near its bottom with a point Vof dust delivery, a source of compressed air, a first valved air pipe connecting said source with the interior of the rst tank in the series near its top, and a second valved air pipe connecting said source with the interior of the dust oitake conduit at a point between the valve in said conduit and the last tank in the series, whereby when the valves in the dust-charging conduits are closed then upon closing the valve in the dust offtake conduit and the valve in the rst air pipe and upon opening the valve in the second air pipe air is caused to flow from the source up through the dust in each tank, and upon reversing the settings of said dust offtake conduit valve and said air pipe valves compressed air from the source enters the first tank above the dust therein and causes the dust in each tank to ow serially through the succeeding tanks in the series and through the dust oitake conduit to the dust delivery point.

5. In dust conveying apparatus of the character described, a plurality of dust blowing tanks, a valved dust-charging conduit connected to each tank and through which each tank may receive independently a charge of dust, said tanks being connected in series by a plurality of dust transfer conduits each of which connects the interior of one tank near its bottom with the interioi` of the next tank in the series near its top, a valved dust oitake conduit connecting the interior of the last tank in the series near its bottom with a point of dust delivery, a source of compressed air, a first valved air pipe connecting said source with the interior of the first tank in the series near its top, a valved vent in said first air pipe between the valve therein and said first tank, and a second valved air pipe connecting the source with the interior of the dust oiftake conduit at a point between the valve in lsaid conduit and the last tank in the series, whereby upon closing the valves in the dust-charging conduits the dust in the tanks may be fluidized by closing the valve in the first air pipe and the valve in the offtake conduit and opening the vent valve and the valve in the second air pipe so as to cause air from the source to ilow backwards through the series of tanks and up through the dust in each tank, and whereby dust may be caused to. flow from each tank serially through the succeeding tanks in the series and through the olftake conduit to the point of dust delivery by reversing the settings of the four last-mentioned valves.

6. In apparatus of the character described, a dust collecting system including a series of dust collecting chambers, a corresponding series of dust blowing tanks, a valved dust-charging conduit connecting each dust blowing tank to one of said collecting chambers and through which each tank may receive independently a charge of dust from the collecting chamber to which it is thereby connected. a valved vent pipecon- 47' heating the interiors of fthe blowing 1 tanks to' the interior of the dust collecting system,'where by when the vent pipe valve is opened during charging of the blowing tanks with dust the pressure in said tanks is substantially equalized 5 `with the pressure in the dust collecting system, a plurality of dust transfer conduits each of which connects the interior of one tank near its bottom with the interior of the next tank in the seriesnear its top, whereby al1 of said tanks are connected in series, a dust offtake conduit connecting the interior of the last tank in the series near its bottom with a point of dust delivery, a soince of compressed air, and a vaIved air pipe connecting said source with the interior ofthe rst tank in the series near its top, whereby when the valves in the dust-charging conduits are closed and the valve in the air pipe is opened compressed air from the source causes the dust in each tank to ow serially through the dust transfer conduits and tanks following it in the series and through the dust offtake con- 10 duit lto the dust delivery point.

LESTER R. MACLEOD.

No references cited. 

